THE MAZE TRIALS ┃tmr love triangle

8

Penelope

THE NIGHT is young and spirits are high as the gladers' yelling and converse across the bonfire site, a group of boys making music with anything they can find, make-shift drums and guitars and singing songs nobody has ever heard of. 

The new boy seems to be deeply invested in a conversation with the second in command, and it feels as though everything is falling into place this night, conversation is light and it gives the gladers a chance to take a night off and focus on having fun. For tonight, we're just teenagers at a bonfire, not subjects trapped in an experiment against our will. It's sort of refreshing.

I make my way around the fire, finding my way back to Zart, and a feeling of deja vu washes over the two of us, it was how we first met, watching Gally wrestle people at the chalk circle on bonfire night. However this time, we're both just staring with wander and admiration for our peers, rather than fear or judgement, times are changing in the glade, as though something has been triggered. The beginning of the end.

"He's still a brute, y'know." Zart pipes up from beside me, and we both laugh just like we did on that first night as Gally shoves another glader out of the circle. 

"C'mon, who's next? I'm just getting started boys!" His loud laugh booms out, and I merely spectated, my arm linked into Zart's as Gally stumbles backwards from where he stands, right into the new greenie. 

Well he's shucked. 

Gally is some sort of the reigning champion, and being a builder gives him an even bigger advantage over the others, working in physical labour everyday. 

"What do you say, greenie- you wanna see what you're made of?" 

Zart and Clint instantly begin chanting 'Greenie!' repeatedly from beside me, and I just watch as the new boy stares around with wide eyes. To be honest, he looks like a deer caught in headlights, and something about his innocence is so soft that I want to protect him, like in the way Newt protected me.

The new boy's eyes lock on mine as if he wants to back out and is silently pleading with me, but I slowly shake my head at him as Gally explains the rules. 

"Take it easy on the greenie." My voice yells out over the no-longer-chanting crowd, glancing at Gally who just gives me an upwards nod which indicates that it went in through one ear and out through the other. 

"Ready?" Before the boy can process Gally's words, he is shoved backwards into a crowd of gladers who catch him and shove him right back into the circle. 

That's gotta do a number on his ego. 

As soon as he's shoved back in, Gally places his palm flat against his back as if he's going to help him back into the circle, but instead shoves him down to the floor. 

"Holy klunk," Zart's eyes are wide as he watches the greenie spit out some sand. 

"Come on greenie, we're not done yet." Like that, the boy stands up and glares at Gally, and I find his newfound confidence somewhat attractive.

"Stop calling me greenie."

"Stop calling you greenie? What do you wanna be called? Shank?" Some of the boys erupt into laughter and start chanting 'Shank' before the smaller boy runs into Gally in an attempt to tackle him.